The 2006 NFL season had ended in bitter disappointment for
the San Diego Chargers, who put together the league’s best record at 14-2 but
lost their only postseason game – a Divisional round contest against the New
England Patriots. Several weeks later, on February 12, 2007, they took the step
of firing Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer.
While the Chargers had been 47-33 under the 63-year-old
coach, including 35-13 in the last three years, they were 0-2 in the playoffs.
However, Schottenheimer could have survived the playoff disappointments – and
initially it appeared that he would – but the bad relationship that existed
between the head coach and GM A.J. Smith ultimately caused owner Dean Spanos to
dismiss the coach, who cited a “dysfunctional situation” in making the surprise
announcement
Two coordinators had already left to become head coaches
(offensive coordinator Cam Cameron became head coach in Miami and defensive
coordinator Wade Phillips moved on to the head job with the Cowboys) and two
more assistant coaches left as well (tight ends coach Rob Chudzinski became
offensive coordinator of the Browns and linebackers coach Greg Manusky moved to
the 49ers as defensive coordinator). Schottenheimer had one year left on his
contract, and was owed $3 million. He had turned down an offer for an
additional year at $4.5 million three days after the playoff loss to the
Patriots, which had apparently angered Spanos and Smith.
“This is absolutely unfair in my view,” said Schottenheimer
in reaction. “We had no control over two guys who became head coaches in this
league. We gave two guys an opportunity to be coordinators in this league.
We’ve added a couple of guys that people should be very pleased with. The future
coach will be very pleased as well.”
Smith had been promoted to general manager in April 2003
following the death from cancer of his predecessor, John Butler. Disagreements
over personnel moves, such as QB Drew Brees being allowed to leave the club as
a free agent, played a role in the rupture between Smith and Schottenheimer.
The 2006 Chargers had gotten off to a 4-2 start before
winning ten straight games to close out the regular season. They were the
league’s highest-scoring club as they scored 492 points and 59 touchdowns while
on defense the Chargers led the NFL with 61 sacks. Top players on offense were
QB Philip Rivers, who stepped up admirably in place of Brees; RB LaDainian
Tomlinson, the consensus league MVP who gained 2323 yards from scrimmage and also
set a new season scoring record; and TE Antonio Gates, who topped the receivers
with 71 catches for 924 yards and 9 TDs. The key defensive players were NT
Jamal Williams, linebackers Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips, and CB Quentin
Jammer. Specialists were also strong with Pro Bowl PK Nate Kaeding, who missed
only three of his 29 field goal attempts; punter Mike Scifres, who had 35 punts
end up inside the 20 as opposed to just two touchbacks; and long snapper David
Binn, another Pro Bowl selection.
The ability to turn teams around and win consistently had
been signatures of Schottenheimer since he first became a NFL head coach with
the Cleveland Browns during the 1984 season. The Browns went 44-27 under his
direction with no losing records. Moving on to the Kansas City Chiefs, the club
went 101-58-1 and didn’t fall under .500 until Schottenheimer’s tenth (and
final) year at the helm. In one year in Washington, the Redskins were 8-8.
His 200-126-1 record during the regular season was the most successful
of any coach not to reach the Super Bowl. However, the pattern of falling short
in the postseason also became a part of his legacy. To be sure, the Browns came
within a John Elway drive and ill-timed Earnest Byner fumble of advancing to
the Super Bowl following the 1986 and ’87 seasons, respectively. But his teams
were a combined 5-13 in the postseason and the loss to New England was his
sixth straight in the playoffs, thus exacerbating the negative impression. On
four occasions, his teams had entered the postseason with the best record in
the conference (1986 Browns, 1995 Chiefs, 1997 Chiefs, as well as the 2006
Chargers).
A defense-minded coach (he had played linebacker, coached
that position for three teams, and was elevated from defensive coordinator in
Cleveland), Schottenheimer’s teams were known for utilizing a power-running
attack on offense and attacking style on defense that yielded many sacks and turnovers.
Even while updating to an offense that went to the air more often, he still never
strayed far from the running game.
To succeed Schottenheimer, the Chargers went with Norv
Turner, who brought a 58-82-1 record from his previous head coaching stops at
Washington and Oakland and had most recently been offensive coordinator in San
Francisco. Recognized for his prowess as an offensive assistant, he had yet to
achieve success as a head coach.
With Turner at the helm, the Chargers topped the AFC West in
each of the next three seasons, going a combined 32-16, although in 2008 it
took a late charge to win the division with a mediocre 8-8 record. They did win
playoff games in 2007 and ’08, advancing all the way to the AFC Championship
game in Turner’s first year. But after failing to reach the playoffs in the
ensuing three seasons, through 2012, Smith and Turner were let go.
The firing by the Chargers marked the end of Marty
Schottenheimer’s NFL coaching career, although his name came up occasionally in
rumors and he had success in one abbreviated year as head coach and general
manager of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League (the
Destroyers went 3-1 in the shortened 2011 season and won the four-team league’s
title).
